Dropping lead for determining the depth of sea by sound waves



Nov. 4 1-924. 1,514,264

B. SETTEGAST ET AL DROI PING LEAD FOR DETERMINING THE DEPTH OF.SEA BYSOUND WAVES Filed 00?.- 22, 1923 Patented Nov. 4, 1924.

ST'EES PATENT OFFICE.

IBERNHARD SETTEGAST AND WILHELM RUDOLPH, OIE KIEL, GERMANY, ASSIGNORS TOSIGNAL GESELLSCHAFT MIT BESCHRANKTER HAFTUNG, OF K IEL, GERMANY.

DROPPING LEAD FOR DETERMINING THE DEPTH OF SEA BY SOUND WAVES.

Application filed October 22, 1923. Serial No. 670,019.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, BERNHARD SETTneAsr and WILHELM RUDOLPH, citizens ofthe German Republic, and residing at Kiel, Province ofSchleswig-Holstein, State of Prussia, Germany, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Dropping Lead for Determining the Depth ofSea. by Sound Waves, of which the following is a specification.

Sounding bodies or leads are known in which by a relative movement of aconstructional part of the lead with reference to another constructionalpart of it, as for instance to its main body, a sound signal is producedwhen the movable part strikes the bottom of the sea.

The invention relates to sounding bodies of this kind in which the soundproducing mechanism is held in cocked position by a trigger mechanismwhich is released by the movement of the said movable part. In sucharrangements heretofore used, because of the considerable forcenecessary for the production of the signal, and the counter forcenecessary in the trigger mechanism, a great resistance in form offriction prevents the trigger mechanism from being easily releasedwhile, on the other hand, it is of the greatest importance that thesounding body be put in action by very small forces such as areavailable, for instance, if the bottom of the sea consists of very softmaterial.

This problem is solved, according to the invention, by a lever liketrigger mechanism being so inserted between the said movable part andthe sound producing mechanism that the movable part acts through alonger leverage than at the point where the lever mechanism acts on thesound producing mechanism itself. Thus less force is required to causethe movable part to move, but this force is magnified at the soundproducing mechanism. For practical purposes a ratio of transformation inthe lever system of about 1 to 10 or more has been found useful. For ahigher ratio of transformation it is advantageous to arrange two or morelevers in series.

But in consequence of this lever-connection another problem arises in sofar as provision must be made that the signal producing mechanism cannotbe put in action unintentionally. In this case the danger exists,especially if the signal is produced by the ignition of an explosivecharge, that people may be injured.

Therefore the invention consists further in the fact that a protectivebody or constructional part is provided in connection with the movableparts of the sounding body preventing these parts from being movedearlier than after being submerged in the sea.

As means for releasing protective bodies of this kind, after submergencein the water bodies or materials have been tested which are adapted,under the influence of the water, to change or vary their volume, theirposition, their physical condition, or their elastic properties. Asespecially adapted for the said purpose we have found a body of fibroussubstance, or such a substance mixed with a material soluble in wateras, for instance, with salt. Releasing bodies such as of the lastmentioned have the advantage that in manufacturing the time ofdissolution easily can be adjusted by adjusting the quantity of solublematerial suspended within the fibrous substance.

The invention may bemore clearly elucidated with reference to theaccompanying drawing in which- Fig. 1 shows a sectional elevation ofasounding body according to the invention,

Fig. 2 a side elevation of the same body in which the operation of thestopping mechanism for preventing accidental operation of the soundproducing mechanism may be seen,

Figs. 3 and 4 the stopping mechanism itself with the stopping spring,

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on the line a-b of Fig. 4.

Corresponding reference numerals in the figures represent correspondingconstructional parts.

In Fig. 1 the numeral 1 designates the outer wall, or main body, 2 themovable part of the sounding body. The member 3, made of metal, withinthe outer wall 1, carries a striker 4 and a device 5 containing acartridge 6. The striker or hammer mechanism 4. is held in its cockedposition against the elastic force of a spring 18 by the shorter arm ofa lever 7 the fulcrum of which is 8. The lower end of 7 is bent and isclenched into the bent end of another lever 10 with fulcrum in 19. Thelever 10, and thus the trigger mechanism consisting of 120 and 7, isheld in cocked position by a bridle 11 engaging lever and attached tothe movable part or head 2. The other end of the bridle 11 is pivotallyattached at 13 to memher 3. A spring 12 presses the head or cap 2 awayfrom the upper part or main body of the lead. Any movement of the head 2is about pivot 13.

The stopping or security mechanism comprises a spring 14 wound round thelower part of the device 5, and a plate of fibrous material 15, the freeends of the spring 14 being drawn toward each other and put throughholes 14, 14 in the plate 15 and eX- tending between the margin of thecap or head 2 and the main body 1.

The operation of the sounding body is the following: If it is out ofwater the cap 2 is prevented from being moved towards 1 by the free endsof 14. If submerged in water the plate 15 is dissolved or weakened sothat the ends of the spring 14 which were under tension spread out inopposite directions into a position 16, 16 where they face the notches17, 17 in 2. Then the cap 2 is free to be moved by pressure against theelastic force of the spring 12 until the margin of 2 and 1 are closetogether. The elastic force of the spring 12 is so adjusted that theresistance of the water during the dropping of the lead in water is notsufl icient to balance the pressure of 12, but that a very smalladditional force effects the movement of 2. If 2 touches the bottom ofthe sea this additional force exists, 2 is pressed towards 1, the levers7 and 10 become free and the striker 4 ignites the cartridge 6 producingin this way the sound signal tobe received on board ship.

Fig. 5 shows a section of the body 15, which consists of a number ofplates 20, 21, 22. The granulated material indicated represents saltsuspended between the fibrous substance of the plates. The suspension ofthe salt may be effected in manufacturing by snbmerging the said platesinto a solution of a salt in liquid such as water. For bodies of thisdesign there are the following'possibilities of adjusting, inmanufacturing, the time of solution:

a. Variation of the fibrous material.

I). Variation of the salt.

0. Variation of the number of plates.

(Z. Variation of the per cent of salt in the liquid.

6. Variation of the time of submersion.

f. Variation of the temperature of the liquid.

The combination of a transforming systrm (lever system) between themovable part and the signal mechanism with a stopping member ormechanism, for this transforming system or the movable parts cooperatingtherewith, is very essential for a reliable and safe operating oidropping leads of the "described kind.

What we claim is 1. In a lead adapted to produce a sound signal onstriking the bottom of the sea, sound producing mechanism, a partadapted to be moved by striking the bottom of the sea,motion-transferring means interposed between said movable part and saidsound producing mechanism, the latterbeing caused to operate by saidmotion, and a stopping device normally preventing said motion butadapted to be released by submergence in water.

2. In a lead adapted to produce a sound signal on striking the bottom ofthe sea, sound producing mechanism, a part adapted to be moved bystriking the bottom of the sea, motion-transforming means interposedbetween said movable part and said sound producing mechanism, the latterbeing caused to operate by said motion, and a stopping device normallypreventing said motion but adapted to be released by sub mergence inwater.

3. In a lead adapted to produce a sound signal on striking the bottom ofthe sea, sound producing mechanism, a part adapted to be moved bystriking the bottom of the sea, a motion-transforming lever-systemcomprising more than one lever interposed between said movable part andsaid sound producing mechanism, the latter be ing caused to operate bysaid motion, and a stopping device normally preventing said motion butadapted to be released by submergence in water.

4. In a lead of the character described, sound producing mechanism,means adapted to be moved by striking the bottom of the sea,motion-transforming means operatively arranged between said movablemeans and said sound producing mechanism, the movement of said movablemeans and said transforming means being adapted to cause the operationof the sound producing means, and means normally preventing theoperation of the sound producing means but adapted to be released bysubmergence in water.

In a lead adapted to produce a sound signal on reaching the bottom ofthe sea,

sound producing mechanism, a part adapted to be moved by striking thebottom of the sea, motion-transforming means so inserted between saidmovable part and said sound producing mechanism that the motion isdecreased before reaching the sound producing mechanism, the latterbeing caused to operate by said motion, and a stopping device normallypreventing said motion but adapted to be released by submergence inwater.

said hammer mechanism, a head on said main body adapted to be moved onstriking the bottom of the sea for releasing said trigger mechanism andthereby exploding said charge, said trigger mechanism comprising a leverarranged to step-down the amplitude of movement imparted to it by thehead, and a stopping device normally preventing said movement butadapted to be released by submergence in water.

7. In a lead of the character described, a main body, an explosivecharge carried by said body, hammer mechanism for exploding said charge,trigger mechanism for said hammer mechanism, a head on said main bodyadapted to be moved on striking the bottom of the sea for releasing saidtrigger mechanism and thereby exploding said charge, said triggermechanism comprising a lever arranged to step-down the amplitude ofmovement imparted to it by the head, and means interposed between saidhead and said main body to normally prevent movement of said head andheld in H movement preventing position by means adapted to he releasedupon submergence in water;

8. A. device according to claim 1, in which the stopping devicecomprises a member placed in position to engage and prevent movement ofsaid movable part, and held in this position by a body of fibrousmaterial adapted to be acted upon by the water to cause the release ofthe member from such position.

9. A device according to claim 1, in which the stopping device comprisesa spring member placed in position to engage and prevent movement ofsaid movable part, and held in this position by a body of fibrousmaterial adapted to be acted upon by the water to cause the release ofthe spring member from such position.

10. A device according to claim 1, in which the stopping devicecomprises a spring member placed in position to engage and preventmovement of said movable part, and held in this position by a bodycomposed of a plurality of layers of fibrous material adapted to beacted upon by the water to cause the release of the spring member fromsuch position.

11. A device according to claim 1, in which the stopping devicecomprises a spring member placed in position to engage and preventmovement of said movable part, and held in this position by a body offibrous material mixed with a substance soluble in water, said bodybeing adapted to be acted upon by the water to cause the releas of thespring member from such position.

12. A device according to claim 1, in which the stopping devicecomprises a spring member placed in position to engage and preventmovement of said movable part, and held in this position by a bodycomposed of a plurality of layers of fibrous material mixed with asubstance soluble in water, said body being adapted to be acted upon bythe water to cause the release of the spring member from such position.

13. A device according to claim 1, in which the stopping devicecomprises a coiled spring having its two free ends held under tensioninposition between the movable part and the main body of the lead toprevent movement of said movable part, said ends being held by a body offibrous material adapted to be weakened when submerged in water so thatthe spring ends expand to a position permitting movement of said movablepart.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses:

BERNHARD SETTEGAST. WILHELM RUDOLPH. Witnesses:

STEWART MARTEN, EMIL Lt'rrz.

